Hyderabad High Court cheer for wine dealers

Hyderabad: The Hyderabad High Court on Friday granted relief to retail wine dealers in both Andhra Pradesh and Telangana states by directing the Principal Commissioner of Customs of both states not to take any coercive steps with regard to collection of 15 per cent service tax from wine dealers on licence fee, till further orders.

A division bench comprising Acting Chief Justice Ramesh Ranganathan and Justice Shameem Akhter was hearing a batch of petitions by retail wine dealers challenging the circular issued by the Board on April 13, 2016 directing TS and AP to collect 15 per cent as service tax from each of the retail liquor outlet.

The bench directed the Central Board of Excise and Customs that no tax will be collected from the petitioners without completing the assessment and till an assessment order is passed in accordance with the law.